


Spousal Benefits

by Arden (ArdenLa)



Series: Confessions of a Teacher's Pet [8]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Marriage Proposal, Teacher-Student Relationship, very cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-11
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-11-30 23:55:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11474307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArdenLa/pseuds/Arden
Summary: Just as their situation starts to lighten up, Solas and Eirwen hit a dead end. His solution is not ideal, but at least it's a solution.





	Spousal Benefits

They were both quiet for a long time, staring into their food, sitting beside each other at his kitchen island. 

It seemed as though they’d exhausted every option, and the options had thoroughly exhausted them. Elves were not included under the student exception, and mages were in particular demand anyway. Her Circle training and vet experience made her an ideal healer, and she knew if her number came up it would be borderline impossible for her to get out of Joining. 

Solas was devastated. She was finally graduating, and after over a year of dating and sleeping together in secret he was anxious to finally stop hiding. He could hold her hand in public, kiss her without having to make triple-sure they were alone, stop scoping out CCTV cameras when they having a particularly hard time resisting each other.

But then this. She deserved better, deserved the future she actually wanted and not a forced conscription by lottery. But after seeing Fereldan struggle to contain the Blight, the Orlesian Wardens instigated a draft that would entrap all eligible young people between the ages of 18 and 26 into service against the Darkspawn hordes. 

Her number was terrifyingly low, enough that they both knew she would be drafted. In a few short weeks the life she’d worked so hard for came to a screeching halt, and the draft notice finalized it all with a bright silver stamp of approval. 

She was in excellent physical condition, barely 22-years-old, and a talented mage. Magic mostly didn’t mean anything, but it gave her an edge in healing that made her a perfect fit for behind-the-scenes work in field hospitals.

She’d tried to assure him this meant she’d be okay, that she would be fine as a healer and that her life was in significantly less danger. But he could do his own research, and he knew that wasn’t true. If the need were great enough, she could be brought into close contact with the front lines, and then all bets about her safety were off.

He stood and brought his mostly-full bowl to the counter, dumping it into a tupperware container in silence. 

“Vhenan?” She said, her voice small. He heard how it shook and, facing away from her, closed his eyes tightly. He couldn’t stand the pain in her voice, couldn’t bare to hear the woman he adored so overtaken by fear. “Talk to me.”

He sighed and put his bowl in the sink before returning to her side. Her ears drooped and her eyes were wide and glossy as he took her into his arms and held her close. “Ir abelas, vhenan, I do not mean to seem so distant. It is… I-”

“I know.” She squeezed him back, burying her face in his neck. He shifted slightly, drawing a soft gasp from her lips as he picked her up and brought her to the couch. She smiled and gave a short laugh as he laid her down and then crawled over her, holding one of her hands in his. 

“I love you so much, vhenan.” He leaned down and rested his forehead against hers, closing his eyes. “I will find a way to keep you safe.”

She squeezed his hand in her own and shook her head. “We tried it. There’s nothing we can do.”

“I cannot believe that. There must be something. Perhaps you could… convince them you’re unfit for combat, at least.”

“I read about that. Technically healers don’t go into combat, so they’d just ignore that anyway.”

“But they do go into combat.”

“Mm,” she replied bitterly, her tone dry. “How about that?”

He sighed and gave her a soft kiss, then pulled back and leaned his forehead into hers. For a long time they were both quiet, holding hands, letting the moment draw out between them. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft and gentle, but demanding all the same. 

“Marry me, Eirwen.”

She didn’t understand at first, the words like an unknown language on her ears. “I… what?”

“It won’t solve anything, but it will mean I can see you. And they’ll tell me where you are.”

She shifted, propping herself up on her elbows. “What- are you serious?”

He chuckled and brought her fingers to his lips. “You do not have to, of course.”

“I- I just…” She shook her head. “That’s… I mean, I didn’t even… uh…”

He leaned down and kissed her again, deeply this time, until he felt her relax. When he pulled away she looked just as concerned. 

“You mean it? You want that?”

He laughed and shifted so he could lean into the back of the couch, and she sat up to look at him. “I love you,” he said, cupping the side of her face. “I have no desire to rush things, but… losing you would- I cannot imagine it. And if we are married, I’ll be able to meet you easier, and we’d have certain rights we would not have as we are. You do not need to agree now-”

“No, I… yes, I want to.”

He paused, looking at her very seriously. He could feel a swelling in his chest as she nodded and took a deep breath. “You are… certain?” He asked.

She smiled and shifted, taking his face into her hands. “Yes. I’ll marry you.” 

He let out a long sigh of relief and pulled her in, chuckling softly. “Good.” He kissed her long and slow, and leaned her back into the couch again. He knew this wasn’t a solution, and he had every intention of finding another way, but this, at least, was something.


End file.
